An ecosocialist blog

Frack Free Wales February Newsletter 2014

Several Bridgend Green Party members have been very active in supporting Frack-Free Wales and have visited both Balcombe and Barton Moss.

Andy is representing Frack-Free Wales on a panel debate on fracking at Plaid Cymru’s Spring Conference in March.

Please consider supporting the events listed below, and have a look at the ‘Situations Vacant’ re details of Web Designer and Newsletter Editor opportunities.

NEWSLETTER
3rd February 2014

Diary Dates

*Saturday 15th February – ‘Frack-tion Training Day’. Sign up now!
10:00am to 6:00pm; Dyfatty Community Centre, Chapel Street, Swansea SA1 1NB
A day of skill sharing, networking and information gathering to help us prepare for the year ahead.
Free training delivered by ‘Seeds for Change’ (www.seedsforchange.org.uk)
open to all (not just fracktivists)lunch provided by Swansea Food Not Bombs (for a donation).
More details on facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/events/387328598078347/
If you want to confirm a place please email:
safeenergywales

*Thursday 20th February Demonstration at the Bridgend HQ of UK Methane/Coastal Oil & Gas.
Joint action with Frack Free Wales and Frack Free Somerset as part of
‘Frack Free February’.
More details will be published nearer the date.

*Saturday 22nd February – ‘The Vale Is Not For Shale’ – Concert at the Town Hall, High St, Cowbridge CF71 7DD
Four local campaign groups are teaming up to put on a big music event in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan.
This is one of a series of events to raise public awareness, build support for the protests when the drillers do come, and infuse the campaign with
some positive, creative energy.
Lineup to be confirmed, but will include some notable names from the Welsh
music scene.
More details on facebook at :https://www.facebook.com/events/487758954677875/
or contact Donal Whelan; donal.

*N.E Wales Anti-Fracking Action Network: A current proposal for Dart Energy to drill an exploration well at Common Wood near Wrexham will be due to go before the planning committee this month. Details of the application can be found on the Wrexham Council website, case number P/2013/0660, or by going to the Facebook anti fracking page https://www.facebook.com/NEWAFAN
Please view all the documents, especially the ones added last week and then send in your objections as well as signing this petition.http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-fracking-wrexham-county-borough-council
Dart Energy is hoping to start work on the site on or soon after the 14th of February. The next planning meetings are the 6th and 17th of February so the application will be discussed at one of those dates. But it is understood from the documents that the proposed site will need to be prepared for the catchment of Great Crested Newts (protected), and would require a one month period to pass before work can start on the site. Therefore it is hopeful that Dart Energy will not be able to start for a while yet. Any questions please email Luke Ashley: lashley40

*Throughout February – Frack Free Somerset have organised a second Frack Free February – it’s a big month of action, with loads of local events which creates a lot of momentum for the year & helps new groups to start.
For more details on all the events go to facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/events/630662896982665/

The Barton Moss Community Protection Camp needs our help. The conditions there are dire, and some are getting sick due to the cold wet weather.
Here’s a list of what they are in need of on camp: warm clothing, waterproofs, socks, boots, layering clothing, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, tents, roll mats, plus funding to help them purchase a yurt so that they have somewhere warm and dry to prepare food, etc.
These items can be passed on to Melanie Dawn (Frack Off Llanelli), if you would like to donate please contact her on 07592755218.SOLIDARITY SUNDAY AT BARTON MOSS (26th January)
20 people from South Wales travelled on the bus, plus a few others who made their way independently. In a good show of solidarity from across the UK, around 500 people gathered for a march from the Salford City Stadium to Barton Moss, where we were greeted by the Community Protectors. The weather was very kind to us, with the rain holding off for the afternoon. It was a fairly low key event with hardly any police presence. We were made very welcome by the people at the camp who somehow managed to feed everyone a healthy lunch to keep out the cold.

Ask your MP to put pressure on the government to accept a motion to amend the proposed legislation to make it compulsory for fracking companies to take out insurance.
You might also ask if it is right that this legislation is being produced by The Treasury when Baroness Hogg, Senior Independent Director to HM Treasury is also a director of BG Group, a company involved in gas extraction across the globe!

This petition was submitted by FoE Cymru and appears to have been “under consideration” since October 2012 (although the year may be a mistake on the Assembly website).
Given that the UK Government is unwilling to protect Welsh communities by insisting that the frackers have the necessary insurance (see above), we need the Welsh Government to step up to the plate.
The Welsh Government does not have the power to stop fracking in Wales, but it does have the power to draw up planning guidance based on ‘The Precautionary Principle’, as outlined in the petition.

Talk to your Local Councilors to see if they would be willing to put a motion before your local council asking the Welsh Government to draw up planning guidance as outlined in the FoE Petition (see above).

(Editor’s Note: If you need help with any of the above suggestions then please contact Keith Ross of Safe Energy: safeenergywales)

Don’t forget!

Keep an eye on local council planning applications in your area. Check with your local council regularly to see if anyone has applied for permission to test drill or extract gas or oil. If you do come across an application, please don’t assume that someone else is dealing with it. Unless you’re certain that we know about it please contact either Frack Free Wales or your local campaign group to make sure we are aware of it.

Finally, if you’re too busy to do any of the above, particularly if you’re employed and have disposable income, then “give us yer money”!

As with most campaigning organisations, Frack Free Wales is always short of money to do what needs to be done. If you have anything to spare please consider donating it to the campaign. Andy can give you the relevant bank details for direct donations
If you have Internet Banking you can transfer money online, otherwise you can pay in at any branch of the Cooperative Bank. We appreciate that spare cash is hard to come by in these troubled times, but any amount will be gratefully accepted.

Situations Vacant:
There are never enough people around to do all the work that needs to be done, and we are always grateful for offers to help with admin and organisation at whatever level.Web Designer: It’s time to refresh our website and to build in new features to help the campaign and support local groups across Wales. If you have the skills, inclination and time to help with this, please get in touch.Newsletter Editor: This is the second newsletter to keep everyone informed of what’s happening in Wales. We’d love to develop it into a proper newsletter with an attractive layout and interactive features. Again, if you have the skills, inclination and time to help with this, please get in touch.